MAURICIO VENEGAS-ASTORGAMusic Director, Lead vocals, Guitar, Cuatro, Charango, Electric Charango, Ronroco, Tres Cubano, Kena, Kenacho, Moce, Sikus, Tojyos, Rondador, Irish Whistle, Bombo, Cajon, Bass Cajon, Udu drum, Sanza
MAURICIO VENEGAS-ASTORGA
Music Director, Lead vocals, Guitar, Cuatro, Charango, Electric Charango, Ronroco, Tres Cubano, Kena, Kenacho, Moce, Sikus, Tojyos, Rondador, Irish Whistle, Bombo, Cajon, Bass Cajon, Udu drum, Sanza
Having developed his musical career outside Chile, the Chilean composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Mauricio Venegas-Astorga has always had a close interest in the external influences on the music, culture and politics of his country. Since settling in England in 1977 he has gained a reputation as one of the finest musicians to emerge from the Latin American folk tradition.Mauricio has worked and collaborated with a large number of important figures in the British, African and Latin American musical scenes. These have included the internationally renowned guitarist, John Williams, the composers Richard Harvey and Graham Preskett, the traditional singer-songwriters Roger Watson and Robb Johnson, the African drummer Musa Mboob, the Cuban composer Efrain Rios and the Chilean songwriters Jorge Campos and Osvaldo Torres.A former member of the popular 80’s group INCANTATION, the time Mauricio has spent working alongside and learning from musicians from other world cultures such as those of Africa, India, England, Ireland, Cuba and The Caribbean has enabled him to develop a very broad understanding of the music that he plays and composes. This wide overview of the whole spectrum that is represented by World Music has also lead him to be instrumental in the formation of several multi-ethnic groups including “Caguin” “Alianza”, “Jacara” and the “One World Band”.As a composer and songwriter Mauricio has written more than 20 albums and participated in countless film and television projects, with compositions being used for important soundtracks throughout Europe and world-wide in countries including Australia, the United States and Japan.Widely known for the specialist knowledge he has developed in Latin American and World Music, Mauricio has also contributed as an advisor and composer to a number of television and radio programmes including "Ritmo” and “Kaleidoscope” for BBC radio 3 and “Music Makers” for BBC TV. One of his most recent commissions was a composition for the Lincolnshire music education agency Soundlincs, along with Midge Ure, and Oasis performed by 200 young musicians in August 2003.In recognition of his artistic contribution to culture and education in Chile and England he was invited by the United Nations in 2002 to be included in a project celebrating prominent artists from around the world in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the UN charter for refugees.
Whilst living in London Mauricio has maintained his artistic profile in Chile and was recently awarded the “Premio Municipal De Arte” in Coronel his home town for outstanding contribution to the music and culture of his country.